Astroturfing is when a large corporation funds a group that appears to be independent, while promoting their agenda. Grassroots organizations are local political groups that focus on social causes. Astroturfing is criticized for being misleading and unethical, while grassroots organizations work to combat it.
When a large corporation routes funds that push an agenda through an organization that appears to be a grassroots group, it is referred to as astroturfing, referring to a brand of fake grass that is used throughout the United States. Examples of astroturfing vary: a business might, for example, use a shilling to post messages on web message boards. In other cases, a large corporation might fund a group that appears to be independent of the parent company, and therefore presumably providing clear and objective information. The term appears to have been coined by Senator Lloyd Bentsen, a Democrat from Texas who has spoken out against astroturfing.
The grassroots organization is a political organization at a highly localized level. Most grassroots groups have limited budgets that are supplemented by donations from members and fundraising groups. A grassroots organization works hard to educate the public and promote particular ideals: to show people, for example, why clean cutting is harmful or why they should care about bad working conditions in other countries. Many grassroots organizations focus on social causes such as the environment, improving living conditions, civil rights, and supporting health care for all. Most grassroots organizations fall to the left of the political spectrum and focus on educating people to help them make informed choices, as well as alerting the public to issues of concern.
Astroturfing is heavily criticized by the grassroots organizing community, because it can be very misleading. Consumers who are not careful about the sources of their information may be led to believe that a group of artificial turf provides balanced and useful information on a controversial topic. Additionally, astroturfing organizations can usually afford to spend a large amount of money installing billboards and buying print ads in major publications. As a result, they are much better able to promote their point of view than grassroots groups.
While astroturfing is not illegal, it is questioned as an ethical practice. Many companies stand to make a great deal of money through their astroturfing efforts, which could be lobbying against passage of a particular bill, dismissing concerns about the environment, or preying on public health and education concerns. . For example, when a pharmaceutical company lobbies directly against a bill, lawmakers, physicians, and consumers can clearly see who is lobbying and take them into account when reviewing the arguments advanced by the pharmaceutical company. If a drug company starts a group called “Citizens Concerned About Arthritis Awareness” and lobby through that group, lawmakers, doctors, and other citizens won’t be aware of the hidden agenda the group is promoting.
In addition to talking about astroturfing, grassroots organizations have also taken steps to combat it. If the group is public, they obtain financial records and try to get information about board members. Grassroots organizations will also exhibit groups known to be turf organizations. Most grassroots groups aren’t opposed to hearing arguments from the other side—they simply object to not being frank about the source of an organization’s information, money, and ideals.
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